Purple
by Mispent Youth
Summary: Short story as Flack wakes up in hospital and then returns home set after COTP


-1**Purple**

Purple. Purple liquid. Purple blood. Purple.

This is what Don Flack could see when he awoke. He tried to make sense of it, tried to remember what had happened. As his senses became alive again, he realised how much agony he was in. He could hear a voice vaguely in the background. Calling him.

"Flack! FLACK! Don, can you hear me?" It was Mac. But why was Mac sounding so frantic and scared.

Flack tried to speak but all that came out was a cough of blood. Moving his head, he saw were the purple liquid was coming from, his blood mixing with blue photocopier toner, the photocopier just to the side of him and he remembered.

The bomb.

The bomb had gone off in the building, with him in it.

Mac had obviously gotten safe, and he hadn't.

"He's here, I got him." Mac's voice called out.

"Come on, he's here." That voice he didn't recognise.

"Flack, can you hear me?" Mac asked again, he held Flack's head up and Flack nodded slightly. "Great, that's good. Just hold on, help's gonna be here soon. Then we'll get you to hospital."

Mac could feel blood from a wound on Flack's forehead, it was seeping into his clothes. Though Flack's blood was still warm, Mac's own went stone cold as he became scared. This was just like the Marine he had lost, and Mac found himself wishing with all his heart that Flack would live to see another day. He was too young to die such a horrible death, he was a good cop and he didn't deserve this torture.

With his head raised, Flack looked down at himself and almost threw up. He could see his viscera hanging out of his body, leaving a crater size hole in his stomach, then he realised how bad he was. Just as he let his head fall down again, he clamped his eyes shut, not daring to see what else was wrong with him. He could feel agony all over his body, his arms, his legs, his back, his head but the worst was over the front of his body.

Mac, meanwhile, was waiting for the paramedics. But they were having trouble getting through. He was getting angry and more scared. He had to do something. He had to get Flack's insides back inside. He had to make sure they didn't receive any more damage. But that was when he saw the bleeding artery. Now he had to work quickly, there was nothing he could do to stop the young man's pain but he could save his life.

"Give me your shoes." Mac asked the other survivor Smith, next to him. The young man looked bewildered but did just that. Mac tore out the laces and tied them together. Then he tied the laces around Flack's seeping artery, praying it would hold.

Flack heard the other man throw up, but still refused to look. The pain in his stomach was nothing like he had ever felt before, he wished he could fall asleep and not feel anything but unfortunately, his mind wouldn't shut down.

"Flack, you still here?"

"Yeah." He whispered raggedly.

"Good, just hold on, the paramedics are coming. Just keep fighting."

Flack couldn't bear it any longer. His clothes was saturated in blood, he could see his own blood on Mac's shirts if he dared open his eyes. He could feel Mac's finger, stopping the blood from escaping out of the hole in his chest. He could feel the strain of the laces against his guts. He wanted to let go. But then he heard his best friend's voice.

"Flack!" Danny Messer cried. Lindsay had told him, Mac and Flack were still in the building when it went off. But he didn't realise they would actually be hurt. He had scrambled through various debris, but the paramedics were still having trouble getting the equipment through. "Oh my god! Flack, buddy, it's Danny. Christ, you just can't stay out of trouble, can you?"

Despite the excruciating pain, Flack smiled. "Just live for danger." He said. Danny grasped the man's hand and held it tight.

"You're gonna be alright Flack. You will. You can't let me lose another brother, alright."

"I won't."

"No, you won't."

Mac smiled at the exchange between the friends. But all feelings of hope suddenly leapt out the window, when the other young man decided to 'help' and move the photocopier. Flack roared in pain, startling both Mac and Danny.

"What? What is it?" Danny asked clearly terrified.

"My arm." Flack said. Looking over, Danny noticed that his arm had been trapped by the photocopier and now it had been unearthed. Danny could see the elbow bone sticking out of the flesh.

"Don't worry, man. You'll have help soon." As if by magic, the paramedics made their way through and took over, to get Flack to safety.

Lindsay had already been tended to, just a small cut on her forehead, she had been lucky. So now she stood outside with Hawkes, Stella and Aiden and they all waited patiently for news about their friends. But they knew it was bad news when all they could hear was Flack's anguished screams of horror and pain. When she saw the bright yellow jackets of the paramedics, Aiden rushed over to see her not-so-secret crush and almost wished she hadn't. She wasn't prepared for the torturous state of her friend. She wanted to grab his hand, tell him he would be alright. But she just couldn't be sure.

Mac appeared next to him and addressed the group. "OK, Aiden you go with Flack to the hospital, get photos and his clothes. Danny, Lindsay, Hawkes you process the scene, we need to know how this happened and who did this. Stella you're gonna have to process the other survivor and me."

Everyone nodded, when Mac was like this, you did not disagree. With a strained glance towards the ambulance which tore out of the street, Danny headed into the building with Lindsay and Hawkes.

Stella had already taken evidence from the other man and sent him on his way to the hospital just to be on the safe side and now she pulled Mac into the other ambulance.

"Alright, were you hurt? Anywhere?"

This was the first time Mac realised he could have actually been hurt. "Um-no. No, I wasn't actually. This is Flack's blood." He said gesturing to his shirt.

"Right, we'll need it." Stella said. Mac nodded, he knew the drill. He unbuttoned the shirt and handed it to Stella who placed it in a bag next to her.

"Mac." She whispered. Looking at himself, Mac realised the blood had seeped through and his chest was stained with Flack's blood as well.

"I'll shower at the office." He said slowly.

"Yeah."

They continued processing and Stella took down Mac's version of what happened. The team kept working but of course the first thing on their mind was how Flack was. They knew if anything did happen Aiden would call them.

Aiden was at the hospital waiting for Flack to come out of surgery. When she got the call, the timing device was in Flack, coincidentally that was the time the surgeon's assistant brought it out to her having found it in Flack's chest.

NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY

Flack had squeezed his hand. Mac was near to tears but stopped himself. He knew it. He just knew it. Flack was a fighter and the world loved him, they didn't want him to go yet.

Just then he heard a commotion outside the hospital room. He saw two people he didn't recognise, but the man looked the spitting image of Flack. Mac bent lower to the young man in the hospital bed. "Your parents are here Flack."

He stepped outside and saw everyone making the introductions. "And this is Mac Taylor." Danny said, he had met Flack's parents before obviously, but everyone else was a mystery to them. Except the Marine before them.

"You're Mac Taylor?" The man asked.

"Yes."

"You saved my son's life." The ex-cop held out his hand and Mac immediately grabbed it and shook it. "Thank you, thank you so much." Flack's mother hugged Mac and also said her thanks, and then retreated into Flack's room to see their son.

Donald Flack Sr. was a cop through and through despite retiring only three years ago. He was still known amongst many precincts as the NYPD legend, glad his son followed in his footsteps. Flack looked like his father, the same sharp blue eyes and clean cut black hair, as well as the charming smile. He also gave his son his wit and wisdom. However, Elizabeth Flack was where Flack took after in his composed, kind-hearted nature which he usually saved for his friends and victims. She gave him the love and care as usually given from a copper's wife. But right now she couldn't comfort her son. Though she wanted to be strong, not embarrass her son, his mother couldn't help it, as she began crying when she saw her young soldier, her fighter, lying in bed, a tube in every orifice of his body, machines bleeping.

"My poor boy. Why would someone do this to you?" His mother asked.

"Don't worry, he's a Flack. He's strong, he'll make it through." Donald Sr. said quietly, holding his wife.

"I know, but it's just he's my little boy, why would anyone dare hurt him."

"They found the man who did this. Danny told me. They stopped him."

"But why our Donny? Why?"

Years on the street, Detective Donald Flack Sr. was always asked questions and he always gave an answer, even when someone didn't expect one. But this time he couldn't think of a single thing to say to comfort his wife.

NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY

Finally, he was near enough free. Flack had been told, if he kept fighting the way he did, he could get out of hospital in a week. He was getting bored, that was an understatement. In Flack's line of work, he had been taught to stay alert and move quickly if there was danger and for the past month he had been bedridden.

He kept wining little victories though.

Like the time when he got the tube out of his mouth and could finally talk to his friends. Of course his voice was like an old man's because his voice was red raw from having the plastic tube shoved down his throat.

And the time he was allowed to eat solid foods, including the forbidden candy, that Danny had smuggled in. They had been caught by a very cute nurse who relented and let them continue eating.

Then finally, he was allowed to have the highly embarrassing catheter taken out. Yes, he knew it was necessary, but it was humiliating having to piss in a bag. And needing help at that. But he was finally allowed to have it removed and despite he needed at least ten minutes to get to the toilet if nature ever called, also with the help of nurses having to practically set him on the toilet, he didn't care.

Then the time he was allowed outside. Granted it was only to the hospital's tiny garden, and he was stuck in a wheelchair with an IV bag, but still outside none the less. Stella had taken him out and they had made small talk about meaningless things, but Flack felt good to be with his friend again, kinda like normal.

Then the time he was allowed to go to the cafeteria and eat a full meal with his parents. His mother had tried her best not to cry, she was happy her son was well again, though he still had a long way to go. His father wore a smile that showed how proud he was of his son, that he had survived and now everyone at the precinct was talking about the legendary Flack boys in blue. Can't keep them down at all.

NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY NY

Today was the day Flack had been waiting for, for the past two months, he had gone through physical therapy, surgery and recovery time. He was now allowed out of hospital. Since being there he'd had a string of visitors, friends and family coming to see him, but he always treasured the visit of Aiden Burn. They had met each other at work, through Danny and when both laid eyes on each other they knew it was love.

But of course like any true love they didn't dare say anything about it. They just went through the motions and keeping their feelings to themselves. But of course like any unrequited love, everyone else knew about it and wished the pair would get their act together and tell each other the truth.

So it was ironic for Flack that the day he got out of hospital, Aiden was the only one with a day off to help him. He was completely better though, there were still some foods he couldn't eat and alcohol was a big no-no. He still had to move slowly and he practically walked at a snail's pace but he was getting their. The more embarrassing thing was that he needed help getting dressed and his doctors consistently sent in young, cute nurses to help him strip off his clothes and see him naked, yeah most thought he was a ladies' man but he still got humiliated having them all stare at him.

"Hey Flack." Aiden greeted. Flack had just got back from signing his papers at his doctor's office, he wanted to keep moving to get himself better, but the walk had nearly drained him, though he wouldn't admit that.

"Hey, they must really be getting desperate if they're sending you in." Flack said.

"Hey, watch it Flack. I could just leave you here, if you want. I know you love it here."

"Alright, I'm sorry. I'm very grateful, thank you for coming."

"No problem." She said, placing her bag on the bed next to Flack.

"What you got there? A present for the injured?" Flack asked peering in.

"Actually yeah. Police scrubs, thought they'd be better than a suit."

"Yeah good idea." Flack agreed pulling his dressing gown off. But stopped himself at the hospital cloth gown.

"What?" Aiden asked, wondering why he had stopped.

"Nothing."

But Aiden knew what was bothering him. "Oh Flack. Get over yourself, we're both adults. Now get your damn clothes off."

Flack chuckled and pulled the gown off slowly, Aiden frowned as he she saw the clean, white bandages across his stomach and stitches over his chest, complete with scars and bruises all over his body. He did look like he'd been through the wars and back again. But she began blushing as she looked lower and lower.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just you look- does it still hurt?"

"Only if I run." Flack joked.

Laughing, Aiden pulled out the sweat pants and pulled them on carefully, while Flack averted his embarrassing eyes. Pulling out the t-shirt, she suddenly realised a shirt might have been a better plan, and instead got the zip-up sweater jacket out.

"T-Shirt might be a bit hard to get on, so you can just have this." She explained. As she helped him get it on, she accidentally knocked his ribs and Flack gasped painfully.

"Oh crap. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She cried.

"It's fine. I'm OK. Have to expect it."

"Yeah."

After jamming some sneakers onto his feet, Flack was ready to go.

"Finally, leaving this place." He said as they entered the car park.

"Not sad to leave."

"God no. Not at all. Then I'll be back at work soon."

"But not for a while. Remember you got time at home for the next month and then when you do go back to work it'll be desk work."

"I know." Flack whined. "Fucking boredom alert. I've been holed up in hospital for two months and now I'll be stuck at home, while you all work."

"Most people would be glad not to have to chase criminals and have guns waved in their faces." Aiden said.

"So, where is everyone?"

"Probably at the office, working late."

"Yeah probably."

They finally arrived at Flack's apartment and Aiden helped him get to his front door. She stood behind him smiling, she knew everyone was inside waiting for him. They arranged a little 'Welcome Back Party' for him and he actually had no idea.

"SURPRISE!" Flack stood shocked as he saw everyone there.

"Welcome back." Aiden said from behind.

"Thanks. This is great, thank you."

Flack slowly made his way to the sofa while everyone began milling about and eating their snack food surrounding his apartment. Looking around, he saw Stella, Mac and Hammerback were talking in the corner, Hawkes and Lindsay were trying all the food, Chad and Jane were looking at Flack's photos of the gang on the wall. While a few others were wandering about chatting. Glancing to his left, Flack looked a little shocked to see Danny suddenly appear next to him.

"Hey buddy."

"Hey." Danny said, passing a slice of pizza to Flack. "Glad to be home?"

"Definitely. Who knew I would get a party?"

"Plenty of people love you. Remember that one for your 18th?"

"Oh yes, that was a party to remember."

They both laughed as they remembered the wild night in January 1996.

The rest of the night was full of laughs for Flack, he was certainly glad to be home. Only when he went to the table to get some more food did he have a flashback moment. But he quickly shook it off.

He had seen purple napkins. Purple. Purple paint and now Purple napkins. Flack smiled, he had got out and come face to face with his most hated colour now.

Purple.


End file.
